2017 AD., France, Eglise Sainte Catherine Honfleur souvenir token, mint: Monnaie de Paris.
France, Eglise Sainte Catherine Honfleur souvenir token, mint: Monnaie de Paris, 2017 AD.,
Token (ø 34 mm / 15,77 g), copper-aluminium-nickel or “Nordic Gold“ alloy ?, mintage ? , axes medal alignment ↑↑ (0°), reeded edge,
Obv.: EGLISE SAINTE CATHERINE / HONFLEUR , view of the interior church.
Rev.: MONNAIE / DE PARIS / (oval symbol) / 2017 , mint building and legend within circle of stars.
cf. https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces42113.html .
Year / Mint Mark / Mintage
2017 / (oval symbol) / ?
The church is dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria as is recalled by a wooden sculpture above the porch of the bell tower separated from the two aisles. She is depicted there carrying a wheel and a sword. The first nave (left) is the oldest part of the building, dating from the second half of the 15th century, built after the Hundred Years War. It was built on the model of a market hall, where shipbuilding elements were used, all of which gave the appearance of an inverted boat hull. Then the bell tower was erected at a good distance from the nave, to prevent the parishioners in the building from falling prey to the flames in case of fire. In fact, the bell tower attracts lightning because of its elevation and its position on a hillside. In the sixteenth century, on the right of the preceding one, a second nave is added, the vault of which conforms to the wooden vaults of the modest Gothic churches. It therefore has a more rounded shape and a framework arrangement, unrelated to the structure of a ship. In addition, the two naves are extended by two additional spans. In addition, they are framed by side aisles of the same length, also vaulted in wood.
The famous "masters of ax" of the shipyards of the city realized this beautiful whole without using the saw, as their Norman ancestors that one sees in action on the tapestry of Bayeux and like the Vikings before them.
The beams used to make the pillars of the nave and the aisles are of unequal lengths, as there were no long oak trunks to build them. Also, some have a stone seat, more or less high and others, none.
The bays of the choir, taken up in the nineteenth century, are of rather poor quality and the roof that crowns them is elevated compared to that of the old parts.
The church is partially covered with chestnut wood shingles, which are called dialectally "essentes" and which therefore constitute a "essentage".
The "neo-Norman" porch was built on the model of those of the rural churches of Normandy at the beginning of the 20th century and replaces a monumental portal in neo-classical style built in the previous century and that can be seen represented on some canvases of Jongkind or of Boudin. The southern portal, meanwhile, is of Renaissance style.
Note the classical organ from the parish of Saint-Vincent de Rouen and the Renaissance balcony decorated with musicians. Stained glass windows from the 19th century decorate the choir windows to the east.
More on https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Église_Sainte-Catherine_de_Honfleur